Spring wheel



1,625,025 Apnl 19, 1927- ODELL HINES SPRING WHEEL Filed March 13 1926 0 276 M7795; INVENTOR.

' is the Patented Apr. 19, 19 27.

PATENT OFFICE.

ODELL HINES, OF BUBNSVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

SPRING WHEEL.

Application filed March 18, 1926. Serial No. 94,615.

The present invention appertains generally to new and useful improvements in wheels and has more particular reference to a novel and simplified spring wheel adapted primarily for employment under automobiles and similar vehicles.

It is well known that the ordinary auto-. mobile tire is kept inflated by an inner tube blown up under air pressure; that these tubes are subject to puncture and that when they are so punctured, the tire collapses.

The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved spring wheel of the class described wherein the necessity of employing an inner tube in the tire or casing is obviated Another important object of the present 2 invention is, the provision of an improved spring wheel of the class described, so constructed as to su port an ordinary .tire or casing but whic will be provided with means for. replacing the. inner tube.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved and. simplified spring means for holding the casing or tire in an inflated osition.

A tort or object of the present invention rovision of a spring wheel of the class escribed in connection with which is adapted to be used old automobile tires.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of such a spring wheelwhich while simple in construction, is nevertheless strong, sturdy anddurable, practical and reliable in its operation and well designed for the purposes for which it is intended.

With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter more readilyapparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the ap ended claims.

, the accompanyin drawings, wherein like characters of ref erence indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side view'of 'a portion of a spring wheel, constructed in accordance with the present invention and being shown partially in section.

Figure 2' is asection'al view on line 2-2 of Figure 1E.

Figure 3 is a-sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a portion of one of the tire supporting shoes.

The improved spring wheel is adapted, as stated above, to receive the ordinary tire casing employed in connection with inflatable tubes and commonly known as pneumatic tire casings, said wheel, however, being so constructed as to obviate-the necessity of employing an inner tube with the result that old tires may be used as well as new tires and with equal satisfaction Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration has been disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wheel comprises the hub portion 10, from which radiate the usual spokes 11, carrying at their outer ends the felly or rim 12, adapted to receive thereon the tire casing 13 having clincher flanges 14 engaging the inturned flanges 15 of the rim- 12 of said wheel, these parts being of the usual construction and being disclosed in the drawings merely by way of illustrating the use of the present invention.

Carried by and encircling the rim 12 between the fianges 15 thereof are a plurality of substantially V-shaped supporting members 16 each comprising a base portion 17 bolted or otherwise secured to the rim and extending outwardly from the opposite ends of the base portion and in divergent relation to each other are the side portions 18 and 19 havingthe laterally directed terminals or end portions 20 and 21 respectively, the adjacent end portions of the supporting members-16,'adapted tooverlap one another and being provided with longitudinally extending registering slots 22.

The rim 12 is provided between the spokes 11 with a plurality of -radial openings or bores 23 within the inner end of each of which is threaded an elongated cup 24 and passing inwardly through the outer closed .end 25, thereof is a substantially long bolt 26, the inner end of which is provided with a head 27 normally abutting'the outer face of the closed end 25 of the cup 24, said bolt passing through the base portion 17 of the supporting member 16 and outwardly beyond' the said rim 12.

The outer, terminal portion of the bolt 26 is screw-threaded as at 28 and is adapted means is provided for retaining the tire in to be received withilrthe internally threaded lug 29 formed on. the inner surface of the tire supporting shoe 30 intermediate the ends thereof, the opposite ends 31 and'32 of each of the tire supporting shoes 30 being cut away on .their opposite faces with the adjacent end portions of the said shoes. 30 adapted to overlap one another. The inner end portion 31 of each shoe is providedwith Y a longitudinally extending slot 33 adapted to register with the slots 22in the end ortions and 21 of the supporting mem rs 16. Secured within the overlapping end 32 of each of the shoes is a counter sunken bolt 34, said bolt extending inwardly through the slot 33. in the adjacent end 31 of the adjoining shoe and also through the slots 22 in the overlap ing ends 20 and 21 of the supporting mem "ers 16. A suitable lock nut or the like 35 is secured on the inner end of each of said bolts.

From the above construction, it will be readily seen that in the operation of the invention, the the supporting shoes 30 are permitted to slide circumferentially of the rim 12 relative to one another and that the overlapping'ends 20 and 21 of the supporting members 16 are also ermitted to slide inhopposite directions wit respect, to each ot er.

For the purpose of yieldably retaining,

the casing 13 in-an'infl'ated position, there is provided -a-coil sprin 37 encirclin each of the bolts 26 withinv t e casing an bearing at its opposite ends against't-he collar '36 and the base portions '17, of the supporting member 16.while a second coil springwheel passes over any irregularity in the road, the tire supporting shoes 30 and bolts '26 will be forced inwardly and the shock of this action will be taken up by the ex-' pansion coil sprin 37 and 38. When the shoes 30 ;are force inwardly, they are permitted to slide. circumferentially of'the rim with respect to one another and this inward action will also causethe side portions 18 and 19 of the s'upportin members 1 to be urged further apart, this being a'c ieved through the provision of the slots 22 in the ends 20 and 21 thereof. H

From the above it will be readily appreciated that itxis not essential that the tire or casing 13'be an extra good one and in fact, it may be a very old. one inasmuch as in the present invention, it is not necessary to employ an inner-tube which 'vvould be,

\ very susceptible to puncture but instead,-

1. A wheel of the character described in-p eluding a hub, spokes, and rim, a plurality of substantially V-shaped supporting members encircling the rim and secured thereto, the adjacent end portions of said members overlapping one another and provided with registering slots, a plurality of tire supporting shoes carriedbythe said members, the adjacent ends ofsaid shoes overlapping one .another, and fastening'means passin through the overla ping end of said oes, and also throug the slots in the end members. 2. A .wheel ofthe class described including a hub, spokes, and rim; a plurality of supporting members encircling the said; rim

portions of the said supporting and secured thereto intermediate their ends,

a plurality of tire supporting shoes carried by the said members, means for 'slidably securing the vsaid shoes and sup orting members to ther and ineans secure to the said shoes mtermediate their ends, whereby to hold the tire in inflated position.

3. A wheel of the classdescribed includin a hub, spokes. and rim, a plurality of substantially V-shaped supporting members encirclingthe said rim and being secured thereto, the adjacent ends of said members overlap ing one another and rovidedwithregistering slots a plurality o tire supporting shoes carrie d b said members,'the adjacent ends of sai shoes overlapping one another, certain of said overlapping ends being provided with slots, and fastening means secured to other of said overlapping ends and passing through the slots in the ends of. said shoes and also through the registering slots in the ends of the supporting members, whereby the said tire supporting shoes and supporting members are permltted to slide relativeto one another.

- 4. A, wheel of the class described includ ing a hub, spokes and rim, a plurality of su s registering slots; a plurality o tiresupport v .ing shoes earned b said members, the adshoes overlap ing one jacent ends of sai another, ertam of said overlappmg ends being provided with slots, fastening means secured toother of said overlapping ends and passing through the slotsin t e ends of said shoes and also through the registering slots in the ends ofthe supporting members,

whereby the said tire' supporting shoes andsupporting members are permitted to slide relative to one another, and spring means carried by, said rim and passing therethrough and secured to the said shoes inter: mediate their ends, for holding the same in inflated position.

.5. A wheel of the character'described including a hub, spokes, and rim, a plurality members encircling the rim of supportin and having t eir adjacent ends overlapping one another, a plurality of tire supporting shoes carried by the said members and having their adjacent ends also arranged in overlapping relation relative to oneanother,

and means for slidably securing the adjacent ends of the ,said supporting members and shoes together" 6. A heel of eluding a hub, spokes, and rim, a plurality the character described in of supportin members encircling the rim and having t eir adjacent ends overlapping one-another, a plurality of tire supporting shoes carried by .the said members and having their. adjacent ends overlapping one another and also overlap ing the ad acent ends of said members, and fastenin means passing through the overlapping on s of the said supporting members and shoes for slidably connecting the same together.

7. A wheel of the class described including a hub, spokes, and rim, a plurality of and rim and engaging with said tire supporting shoes, and spring means encircling the said bolts for normally urging the sai shoes outwardly.

ln-test'imony whereof I afiix'my signature. I

' ODELL HINES. I 

